Objects of Desire

A personal celebration of the hunt for — and joy of living with — favorite collections and things

What is it in our homes that we truly value and why? What would you take when you leave in fear of fire?  

Our home is an expression of ourselves in many ways, largely through the objects we accumulate. For Maria Hummer-Tuttle, the objects she has collected over the years, from the priceless to the flea-market finds, are precious not only for their beauty, uniqueness, and craftsmanship but also for their connection to the past and the future, for their resonance with one another.

In this exquisitely illustrated book, she serves as our guide through three dwellings, focusing our attention on objects ranging from an ancient Chinese horse sculpture to a Louis XV clock painted with characters from an Aesop fable, from a small snail sculpture found in a venerable hardware store to a monumental safety-pin sculpture by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, and from 18th-century to 20th-century furniture.  

With a foreword by master ceramicist and acclaimed author Edmund de Waal and featuring two lavish gatefolds, Objects of Desire is a feast for the eyes and an object to be cherished in its own right. 

About the Authors:

Maria Hummer Tuttle practiced law for more than 25 years. She served as chairman of the Getty Board of Trustees and is on the board of numerous museums, arts foundations, and foreign policy, government, and education organizations. She is the co-author of Winfield House, written while her husband was American ambassador to the UK. She lives in Los Angeles and New York.
Edmund de Waal is a British ceramist renowned for his large scale installations of porcelain vessels and the author of award winning books, including The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance and The White Road: Journey into an Obsession. He lives in London.
Miguel Flores Vianna is a photographer and writer whose work appears regularly in a variety of leading international publications. His books include Haute Bohemians and A Wandering Eye: Travels with My Phone. He lives in London.